Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Vegetarians & Vegans
Vegetarianism isn't a widespread trend in Thailand, but many of the tourist-oriented res-
taurants cater to vegetarians, and there are also a handful of
ráhn ah·hăhn mang·sà·wí·rát
(vegetarian restaurants) in Bangkok and several provincial capitals where the food is
served buffet-style and is very inexpensive. Dishes are almost always 100% vegan (ie no
meat, poultry, fish or fish sauce, dairy or egg products).
During the Vegetarian Festival, celebrated by Chinese Buddhists in October, many res-
taurants and street stalls in Bangkok, Phuket and in the Chinese business districts of most
Thai towns go meatless for one month. See
Click here
for more information.
The phrase 'I'm vegetarian' in Thai is
pŏm gin jair
(for men) or
dì·chăn gin jair
(for
women). Loosely translated this means 'I eat only vegetarian food', which includes no
eggs and no dairy products - in other words, total vegan.
CAN I DRINK THE ICE?
Among the most common concerns we hear from first-time visitors to Thailand is about the safety of the country's
ice. At the risk of sounding fatalistic, if it's your first time in Thailand, the ice is probably the least of your con-
cerns - you're most likely going to get sick at some point. Considering that you're exposing yourself to a different
cuisine and a new and unfamiliar family of bacteria and other bugs, it's virtually inevitable that your body will
have a hard time adjusting.
In most cases this will mean little more than an upset tummy that might set you back a couple hours. You can
avoid more serious setbacks, at least initially, by trying to frequent popular restaurants and vendors where dishes
are prepared to order and only drinking bottled water.
And the ice? We've been lacing our drinks with it for years and have yet to trace it back to any specific discom-
fort, though we still recommend avoiding ice in remote areas.
